Remove the CPU and heat sink from the Mainboard. Check to see that no pins on the under side of the CPU were bent/damaged in the fall..wipe off any left over Thermal compound .Insert CPU back in the Mainboard. Wipe thermal compound off the heatsink.

Now place a bit of thermal compound on the CPU in the center "typically somewhere between the size of a grain of rice and a piece of corn..(depending on the CPU's physical size)"
You want the Thermal compound to when pressed flat by the Heatsink to cover the entire CPU, but NOT ooze out the sides like a burger with too much catsup..

Now set the Heat sink on top of the CPU and fasten the Clamps. Remember to plug the fan back in and test ..

Hope this helps

post your results here

The first thing to check is if the fan is spinning.  A little compound couldn't hurt any though

and make sure you reseat the fan properly. This will also cause the CPU to overheat. I found that out the hard way......

Check the positive and negative on the fan wires.

Thanks for all the advise. The fan does work, and a powerful one at that. I have to believe it's not transferring the heat to the heatsink.

BTW, this is one of those processors and MoBo's where the pins are on th board not the processor. First time I see this.

Still check to see that no pins were bent and the CPU is properly seated. as a CPU that is not, may very well cause such issues..

With the fan even spinning, if damaged will not move the volume of air required to cool the CPU properly.( just because its spinning, don't mean its spinning at the speed necessary to cool the CPU.) If after you do as instructed above, and it still over heats.. I would first try replacing the fan.

I would first try replacing the fan.

And to think it's a brand new fan. Oh well, if that's what it takes. No one told her to knock it over, right?

That's why women should stick to kitchen appliances and we men stick to electronics.


Oops, did I just say that?

Just kidding BTW

killajosh thinks that CharlesCS1 is actually Zubaz in disguise......

Not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not.

BTW, thanks for all the intel. I took the whole PC apart. Cleaned out years of dust from every piece of hardware and every corner of the case, made sure the processor pins were fin, applied just enough compound and put the sucker back together and it's working almost like new.

It's a shame though. Here I am using a computer with an old as hell AMD processor that seems like a miracle it still works while my good PC's MoDo took a dive while a 16 year old girl uses an Alienware PC with a P4 3.0 ghz processor and a nice video card to hang out on myspace and use AIM and MSM Messenger.

She has no clue the power she has hiding under her desk. No clue at all.

HEY!!!  

Wait.


Kinda makes sense I guess.

Wait . . I checked for typos . . he has none.  Ha!  So there!   

I have mastered the art of the Firefox spell checker add-on. Yes, I use to key pushed around by those with great spelling skills and software abilities. I was once the student, now I am the master.

(I think I took this a bit too far, huh?)

Great topic and advice.  Just reading and learning!

I bought (shopped for and ordered) a PC for my father-in-law last year and had a similar situation.  He had come into an inheritance and had money to blow . . so I blew it on a nice rig.  Find out all he does with it is play Rival-ball.

Good for him . . I guess.